DON'T BE AN AUTOGRAPH STATISTIC!

WITH THE INCREASE IN AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING COMES THE UNFORTUNATE AND INEVITABLE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF UNSCRUPULOUS DEALERS FLOODING THE MARKET WITH FORGED MATERIAL.

MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS ASK US HOW THEY CAN BE SURE A PURCHASE MADE FROM AN UNKNOWN DEALER IS GENUINE. I GUESS THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO THIS IS YOU CANNOT AND THIS IS WHY YOU FIND MANY PEOPLE DEAL ONLY WITH A FEW RELIABLE SOURCES.

BELOW ARE A FEW GUIDE-LINES WHICH MAY HELP BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE BUT EVEN THESE GIVE NO 100% GUARANTEE SO TAKE CARE.

TALK TO THE DEALER, ASK THEM QUESTIONS. MOST OF US LIVE AND BREATH AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING AND WILL HAPPILY TALK FOR HOURS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE TOPIC! ARE THEY REALLY INTERESTED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT OR IS IT PERHAPS JUST A WAY OF MAKING A QUICK BUCK!? HOW DO THEY AUTHENTICATE THEIR MATERIAL? REFERENCE BOOKS ON AUTHENTIC SIGNATURES ARE BECOMING MORE AVAILABLE IN THE USA BUT CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND ARE OFTEN HARD TO TRACK DOWN. HOWEVER TO THE GENUINE DEALER THESE ARE NECESSARY AND INVALUABLE TOOLS OF THE TRADE.

DO NOT BE TEMPTED BY CHEAP PRICES AND THE IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY OF ALMOST EVERY STAR OR FILM RELEASED BOTH PAST AND PRESENT AND SIGNED BY PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE THAT APPEARED IN IT! AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING TAKES TIME AND DEDICATION AND MULTI-SIGNED MATERIAL IS EVEN HARDER TO FIND IN GENUINE FORM.

CHECK THAT THEY SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THE ETHICS CODE OF A RECOGNISED AUTOGRAPH ORGANISATION SUCH AS THE UACC (UNIVERSAL AUTOGRAPH COLLECTORS CLUB) OR THE MANUSCRIPT SOCIETY. THIS GIVES NO 100% GUARANTEE OF A GENUINE DEALER BUT AT LEAST IT SHOWS THAT THEY ARE ENDEAVOURING TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AUTOGRAPH ISSUES, SUCH AS STOLEN COLLECTIONS, SUSPECT DEALERS, AND SECRETARIAL OR FACSIMILE SIGNED ITEMS IN THE MARKETPLACE. MOST WILL ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY WITH THEIR GOODS WHICH GIVES YOU AS THE BUYER, SOME REASSURANCE THAT THEY HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THE ITEM SOLD IS GENUINE. ( I HAVE TO SAY HOWEVER THAT CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY ARE APPEARING THICK AND FAST ON MANY DEALERS TABLES AND ARE INCREASINGLY BECOMING WORTHLESS PIECES OF PAPER). FINALLY THERE SHOULD BE AN UNCONDITIONAL REFUND POLICY ON ANY ITEM PURCHASED.

RELIABLE DEALERS EITHER OBTAIN ITEMS IN PERSON OR HAVE A FEW TRUSTED SOURCES FOR THEIR MATERIAL. MOST COLLECTORS WILL STAY WITH A PARTICULAR DEALER OR DEALERS THROUGHOUT THEIR COLLECTING 'CAREER' BECAUSE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PERSON. LONG TERM COLLECTORS ARE QUITE AWARE OF THE UNSCRUPULOUS DEALERS AND WILL SPREAD THE WORD TO FELLOW COLLECTORS BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT IS OFTEN THE NOVICE OR FIRST TIME BUYER WHO FALL PREY TO THESE PEOPLE.

IN CONCLUSION OF THIS EMOTIVE ISSUE TO BOTH COLLECTORS AND GENUINE DEALERS ALIKE, THE BEST THING IS TO TRUSTYOUR OWN GUT INSTINCT WHEN BUYING IT IS USUALLY RIGHT!!

BE CAREFUL AND HAVE FUN!!!